This invention relates to a separable contact arrangement with two contacts that are arranged above and below a divided bus bar or conductor rail. The clamping members are movably placed between the opposite ends of the divided bus bar and are clamped together with a clamping screw.
In known separable contact arrangements that are often used in series terminals as shown in DE 24 30 736 B2, the clamping members, when the clamping screw is in the open position, i.e., when it is possible to shift the arrangement, have an insufficient hold and insufficient guidance on the opposed end areas of the divided bus bar. Jamming or wedging is frequent during shifting and it is then difficult to close the contacts, in that one cannot push the contacts upon the end of an unconnected bus bar segment with the end having to be engaged in the closing position. This may be remedied to a limited extent by providing undercuts for the bus bar at least in the end areas and by providing special shapes for the contacts. This makes the structural design of such bent metal parts considerably more complicated and thus more expensive. When the contact arrangement of the prior art is in the closing position, forces are applied upon both parts of the divided bus bar during the tightening of the clamping screw, with the result that both bus bar parts, in a surrounding housing or the like, need a special twist-proof and jam-proof anchoring. This again makes production more complicated and more expensive.